The congressman has the support of major Republican donors.

President Trump last month endorsed Rep. Ron DeSantis (R), who has not yet declared a bid for governor.

Trump: “Congressman Ron DeSantis is a brilliant young leader, Yale and then Harvard Law, who would make a GREAT Governor of Florida. He loves our Country and is a true FIGHTER!” (Twitter)

Trump’s endorsement came shortly after Air Force One touched down at Palm Beach International Airport. “Fox News, which played on cabin TVs, featured a segment with Rep. DeSantis toward the end of the flight.” (White House pool report)

DeSantis said he’ll appear on Fox “in the new year and be happy to break some news then.” (News Service of Florida)

“Entrepreneurs JR and Loren Rid­inger, the wealthy founders of Market America, who count the Kardashians, Eva Longoria and Jennifer Lopez as close friends, are busy raising money and support for”

Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine (D). “They are asking friends to each make a $3,000 donation to Levine’s campaign.” (New York Post)

“IF I DROP OUT.” Outgoing state Sen. Jack Latvala’s (R) “major donors such as Tampa Electric and Duke Energy are asking for refunds” following his resignation in the wake of sexual assault allegations. “Besides his individual gubernatorial campaign account and his Florida Leadership Committee, Latvala controls two more political committees: Twenty-First Century Florida Committee and Sawgrass PAC. Both have about $10,000, records show. Latvala said he has no intention of closing the Florida Leadership Committee and will operate it within its stated purpose: To promote the interests of its members via campaigns and political outreach, … adding he’ll decide what to do with it after Jan. 1.”

Latvala: “If I drop out of the governor’s race, the donors who gave to the campaign will get a prorated portion of the money back.” (Tampa Bay Times)

Latvala’s Twitter account has “vanished, along with his tweets.” (Florida Politics)

BY THE NUMBERS. “Jeff Roe, founder of Remington Research Group and a top adviser for Ted Cruz’s failed presidential bid, is out with a new” IVR poll (1,423 Republican LVs) showing DeSantis with a slight lead at 38 percent, “ahead of state Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam (R) (35 percent), and state House Speaker Richard Corcoran (R) (3 percent).”

Trump “is viewed favorably by 84 percent of Republican primary voters. ‘Additionally, a plurality of voters, 36 percent, claimed to be a “Trump Republican” when asked what type of Republican they considered themselves to be.’”

“The poll was not funded by any campaign or committee directly aligned with the governor’s race. Roe is also not working for any of the campaigns.” (Politico)

According to a Gravis Marketing poll (IVR + online) (Dec. 19-24; 5,778 rvS; +/-1.3 percent), former Rep. Gwen Graham (D) at 18% and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (D) at 12% led the Democratic primary. Levine and housing investor Chris King (D) trailed in the single digits.

“Currently, Gwen Graham and Adam Putnam are tied at 32% with 37% undecided. Gillum and Putnam are tied at a similar 31%. The undecided voters are evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats hold a single digit lead among independent voters. … The three-way ballot test between Graham, Putnam and [former Democratic megadonor John] Morgan gives Putnam a 27%-23%-17% lead. Morgan takes a quarter of independents and twice as many Democrats as he does Republicans.”

"Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was spotted entering a congressional office building on Tuesday morning for what a committee aide told The Daily Beast was a meeting with the leaders of the House Foreign Affairs committee and relevant staff about his time working in the Trump administration. ... Tillerson’s arrival at the Capitol was handled with extreme secrecy. No media advisories or press releases were sent out announcing his appearance. And he took a little noticed route into the building in order to avoid being seen by members of the media."